The Ex Games, by Jennifer Echols

The Ex Games by Jennifer Echols

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was another sweet Jennifer Echols Romantic Comedy from the Simon Pulse series thereof. Which I am totes getting into (trying to style the linguistic spirit of said series and all). This one kind of reminded me of that snowboarding episode of Rocket Power, if you remember that show, only now Reggie is all grown up, cute, and formidable on the slopes, but with boys (one in particular) still a betty (I'm mildly suspicious of the accuracy of the snowboard lingo in the clever chapter heads, but going with it for purposes of this review only). As I've come to find out and look forward to, JE's main characters are irresistable - tenacious, talented and tough, but with endearing vulnerability and warmth, often troubled by an event/crisis in the past which they are now trying to get past ("I realized that I was hurt four years ago, I just didn't realize how much until now."). One minor flaw, in my appreciative but critical view, was what jerks the boys in this book were, really without exception (younger brother and dads included). I can't help but wonder what the 3 girl characters see in them? Insensitive and crude, careless with things and emotions - I guess they must have been hot enough to overlook all that. But, those are the same things my fellow nerds and I on the literary journal used to wonder about real girls in high school, so maybe it's realistic. If so, it might be the only realistic thing about the denouement of this story, which is no less charming for its fantasy like happy ending. I realize that I seem to be saying some kind of mean sounding things myself now, but don't get me wrong, I loved this book, and the atmosphere and characters JE has created, She is really good at this, and I'll be coming back for more of her magic til the well runs dry.



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The Boys Next Door, by Jennifer Echols

The Boys Next Door by Jennifer Echols

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really enjoyed this sweet summer book. The protagonist, Lori, could not possibly have been any more charming - in some ways this reminded me of a Georgia Nicolson book, between her colorful way of expressing herself, and her ability to get herself into major drama/crazy situations with her seemingly plausible but ultimately doomed relationship schemes. The setting is great, and the whole wakeboarding element brings in an interesting and believable basis for the characters to interact and have a history that has its own problems and promises. The basic idea is pretty similar to The Summer I Turned Pretty, but think a souffle version rather than a three layer devils food cake with fudge icing. Jennifer Echols gets into the story and gets out without a hyperabundance of soul searching and pscycho-drama. That's not to say that the characters aren't fleshed out - she does a great job of creating voices and personalities for all of them, including the minor characters (even the parents! Thanks, JE). I guess the fact that I preferred this to JE's later, more serious efforts, reveals more about my tastes than about the quality of the books. This was a frothy frappucino, the others more like a bold sumatra (or something, getting lost in my analogies, here). Anyhoo, def will be checking out her other Simon Pulse contributions, these to me are the perfect mix of bitter and sweet, spunky and thoughtful, light and shadow. Well done, Jennifer Echols!



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Forget You, by Jennifer Echols

Forget You by Jennifer Echols

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


After "Going too Far," I had high hopes for this book, but I was mildly disappointed. Don't get me wrong, it's a good story with interesting characters, but I could never really find myself immersed in it. For one thing, the main character, Zooey, is difficult to like. Sometimes that's not a problem as characters grow and change over the course of the story (that's usually the point, right?). But in this case, Zooey's resistance to acknowledging reality, and her kind of self destructive ways of dealing with things just got irritating, particularly her professed loyalty to a known player after a one-night hookup. The story does contain a major contender for worst dad ever, which takes some doing in a YA book. In fact there's really two crappy dads to contend with here. Again, not an issue per se, but they seemed cartoonishly bad, not really emotionally impactful. (Mild spoiler alert here) The scene where Zooey's Mom escapes and rescues her is weird - I really thought this was a dream sequence for quite a while, and that Zooey would regain consciousness and wise up, but no, it's really happening, however implausibly. So, definitely will stick with Jennifer Echols, but unable to give this the enthusiasm I felt for "Going too Far."



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Going Too Far, by Jennifer Echols

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This was a great read, with characters you could believe in, both their dialogue and their personalities. One thing I particularly liked was her use of "the bridge" as a focal point the story kept coming back to. A bridge can be a way out, as Meg so desperately sought, or a dangerous hazard, as John could only perceive it, or it can be something that brings together places (or people) that could otherwise never connect.



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Two-Way Street, by Lauren Barnholdt

Two-Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I liked this a lot. Believable but endearingly quirky secondary friend characters, a situationy plot (requiring a little suspension of disbelief at some points!) and two really charming protagonists. I thought the dialog was great, the emotions were intense, and the ending very satisfying.



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At the Party, by Lauren Barnholdt

Kissing Perfect by Lauren Barnholdt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I'm sorry to see this series come to an end. Again, they are more like chapters (maybe it's a serial novel a la Dickens or Stephen King?) than books, but they are super cute, and cheap on the Nook, unfortunately I didn't figure out til after the second one that you can buy them all together, but totes worth it. This was the shortest, which makes me want to add "and sweetest," but they are all pretty sweet. This one especially reminds me a lot of Sarah Dessen, the girl has an ex-boyfriend very reminiscent of Jason from Truth About Forever and Along for the Ride, but he is possibly even more of a weenie than Jason - and that takes some doing! They meet cute and whoa! sparks fly unexpectedly between two mismatched but simpatico souls.



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Once was Lost, by Sara Zarr

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is my favorite of her books, all of which I think are really excellent. The main character, Sam, is believable and relatable, and her jumbled, conflicted and painful feelings about her family and faith are the core of the experience. A cathartic and deep sort of read, very lyrical and poetic, too, I like that about her books.



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Keeping the Moon, by Sarah Dessen

Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


One of my fav SD books. The heroine, Colie, is so irresistible. She's vulnerable but strong (wayyyyy down deep, but ultimately), sensitive to others, but independent, and just generally someone who deserves better than what she's got. Fortunately, this is a Sarah Dessen book, so the odds are good that a) she will meet a cute off-beat guy who will see what others apparently missed; and b) that at some point she'll have a sort of epiphany about herself, and aforesaid COBG, that empowers her to stand up and take part in her life instead of letting it just roll over her. Sarah weaves a spell of summer like no one else, and this is set in Colby, also the setting of Along for the Ride. It's the quintessial beach town, and this is a quintessential summer story. The other characters are great too, including her mom, fitness guru Kiki Sparks, her wonderfully eccentric aunt, the COBG and Isabel and Morgan, the co-workers who help bring her back to life.



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One Night that Changes Everything, by Lauren Barnholdt

One Night That Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


High hopes! And yes, they are not disappointed! Things I like about this book include - feisty but vulnerable protagonist, friends who are flawed but come through, a romance with an unreliable partner(in the sense his motivations and actions are ambiguous) and an actual plot where things happen and develop in unforeseeable (mildly) ways that push the plot forward. Throw in a pinch of drama (big pinch), some h8-worthy frat-boy/jock-type jerks, and it's a good mix. There is kind of a Sarah Dessen meets Frankie Landau-Banks vibe to this. I was sorry to see the night, and this book, come to an end. Will def re-read when I'm not hurrying to find out what happens next!



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